Our Saving Grace
by tiamollie
Summary: Set 3 years after graduation. Peyton left Tree Hill right after graduation with a secret. Lucas stayed in Tree Hill and didnt know why or where Peyton went. Please let me know what you think if you like it i will carry on writing. thanks.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Grace was running as fast as her little chubby legs will let her, down the frozen food aisle in the supermarket, with her mom chasing after her,

'Grace stop running away from mommy' Peyton shouted to her beautiful 2 and half year old daughter.

'We have to get going, mommy has got to go to work and I still have to drop you at the sitters.'

Peyton caught up to Grace, picked her and started to tickle her tummy, Grace started laughing with her dirty little laugh, which always reminds Peyton, how much she loves her daughter.

Once they had finished the grocery shopping, they made their way to the sitter's house to drop Grace off.

Peyton arrives at work ready for her 8 hour shift at Atlantis, the nightclub she is the manager of, working in Tric for all that time really paid off.

Peyton is woken up at 7.30 am by Grace crying for her mommy.

She gets up and gives Grace her breakfast then settles her in front of the TV to watch Saturday morning cartoons.

She turns her laptop on and finds an email from an address she doesn't recognise, she is about to delete it without reading it, but something in side of her tells her she should read it.

The email was from her best friend from high school, Brooke;

_Hi Peyton,_

_I hope you don't mind but I ran into Mouth and he said he still talks to you so I asked for your email, if you don't want to talk to me that's fine I understand._

_But I really miss you Peyton Sawyer._

_I haven't seen you in about 3 years, you left straight after graduation without saying a word, and I know we had our problems but I thought you would have said good-bye._

_But that was a long time ago now and I would really like it if we could be friends again._

_I am living in New York now and doing fashion at NYU, im living the dream I have had for so long, and I would like to be able to share my happiness with you._

_I hope you can find it in your heart to write back telling me how your life has been since you left tree hill._

_Love Brooke x_

Peyton read the email 5 times before she decided maybe it would be good to talk to someone who knows the old Peyton, before Grace arrived.


	2. Chapter 2

**chapter 2**

A week later and Peyton is getting ready to go meet up with Brooke, she has already dropped Grace at the sitters.

As Peyton turns the corner she spots Brooke sitting at a table at this really trendy café, she is about to turn and walk away saying to herself this is a big mistake when she hears Brooke call out to her,

'Peyton im over here'

She turns round to find Brooke looking straight at her with a huge smile on her face.

'Hey Brooke'

Once Peyton reach's Brooke they hug and then sit down, neither of them speaks for a few minutes.

Peyton notices how glamorous Brooke looks; she is dressed in the most beautiful dress, which Peyton presumes is one of her creations.

She is suddenly very aware that she is in old jeans and an old t-shirt, and not looking her best.

Brooke is the first to break the silence,

'Peyton, what happened between us to make you leave without saying good bye'?

She didn't know how to respond to that question,

'I just had to get away from Tree Hill and everything that happened to me there'

'I'm sorry if I hurt you Brooke I just couldn't stay there any longer, I cant go in to any detail, but I am so sorry'

'Ok Peyton, I understand'

'So P Sawyer tell me what you have been doing for the last 3 years'?

Peyton starts telling her about her life since she moved to LA, but she leaves out the part about her having a daughter, she can't bring herself to tell Brooke about Grace.

The old friends sit talking about everything for about an hour and a half.

'I have really got to go I'm running late'

'Ok Peyton, I will pay the bill'

'No Brooke I will pay, don't worry, I will be right back'

Peyton gets up to go pay the bill, she leaves her open wallet on the table.

She gets back to the table and Brooke is looking at the picture she has in her wallet.

'Peyton who is this cute little girl'?

Peyton can tell by the tone of Brooke's voice that she has already guessed who it is.

'Brooke that is my daughter Grace'

'Why didn't you tell me you had a daughter, Peyton, she is beautiful'

'I knew if I told you I would have to answer some questions that I really didn't want to'

'Ok, how old is she'?

'Two and a half'

Brooke thinks for a minute, trying to take in that Peyton is a mom.

'Wait that means… you were pregnant when you left Tree Hill'?

'Yes Brooke that is why I left'

'Did you tell the father before you left'?

Peyton looks at Brooke with sadness in her eyes, knowing that question she has been dreading will be asked in a few seconds.

'No, I couldn't tell him I didn't want to ruin his life as well as mine'


	3. Chapter 3

**chapter 3**

'Peyton I think I know who the father is but I need to hear it from you'

'I cant Brooke'

'Its Lucas isn't it'?

Peyton doesn't say anything, she can't say anything, she has never told anyone who Graces father is, not even her dad.

'Well I guess that's my answer, Peyton you should really tell Lucas'

'I thought you would be so mad at me Brooke, and I couldn't cope with you hating me so I didn't tell anyone.

When I found out I was pregnant it was a week before graduation and you and Lucas had just got back together.

I didn't want to hurt either of you so I didn't say anything and I left straight after graduation.'

'Peyton you should have stayed because you would have found out Lucas broke up with me two weeks after you left'

'I know you said you broke up because you wanted to go to New York and he wanted to stay near his mom'

'That was only part of the reason, he broke up with me because when you left, Lucas realised that it was you that he loved, not me.

'Why are you telling me this Brooke? Its too late now he most probably has his own life where he is happy he doesn't need me complicating it'

'He needs to know he has a daughter Peyton, its not fair to keep this from him'

'I cant Brooke, its too hard'

'Peyton if you don't tell him then I will, he has to know'

'Ok Brooke, I just need some time'

The girls sit talking for a few more minutes; Brooke makes Peyton promise she will contact Lucas.

They say their goodbyes and say they will stay in touch.

Peyton spends the rest of the day in a world of her own, thinking about what Brooke said. She knows she has to tell Lucas but she is not sure how, she is scared of how he will react, scared that he will hate her.

Once Peyton has put Grace to bed that evening she sits down and decides it will be best to tell Lucas in person.

She starts writing a letter telling Lucas she will be in Tree Hill next week and she has something to tell him that she cant do in a letter.

Then she calls her dad, who is now retired, and tells him she will be there on Sunday afternnon.

She then goes to bed, but unable to sleep she just lies there trying to figure out how she is going to tell Lucas.

For the rest of the week Peyton is like a robot, she just gets on with everything trying not to worry to much.

By Saturday morning she is a nervous reck, so she decides to go to Tree Hill a day early.Peyton and Grace set off for the airport


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Peyton arrives at her dads house at about 6.30pm.

As they walk up to the door it swings open and Peytons dad comes running out.

Grace spots her grandpa and starts giggling and running to him.

Larry scoops up his grandaughter and smoothers her in kisses, then he hugs his daughter and takes them in side.

Once they are all settled , and Grace is fast asleep, Larry turns to his only daughter.

'So Peyton honey whats bothering you? When I spoke to you two weeks ago you said you wouldn't be visiting for a while.'

'I know dad,I had a visit from Brooke, she made me promise to tell Grace's father about her, so here I am, im just not sure how he will take it.'

'So are you going to tell your old dad who it is?'

'Lucas'

'I thought it was him but I wanted you to tell me when you were ready'

'Have you seen Lucas recently?'

'I saw him a couple of days ago, he said he had got a letter from you'

'I thought it was better to warn him I was coming instead of just turning up on his door step telling him he has a daughter, dad would you watch Grace while I go and tell him tomorrow?'

'Of course I will sweet heart, now try and get some sleep tonight, and I will see you in the morning'

'Thanks dad, I love you'

Peyton hugs her dad and he kisses her on the top of her head, it makes her feel like a kid again. She goes up stairs to her childhood bedroom, and climbs into her bed, the feel of the familiar sheets send her to sleep almost straight away.

The following morning Peyton wakes up about 9.30am, she has had a great night sleep, and forgets where she is. As she wakes up a little more she realise she cant hear Grace, she would have normally woken Peyton up by now. Peyton jumps out of bed a runs to the nursery to find an empty crib, she then runs down the stairs and finds Grace sitting on the couch watching cartoons with her grandpa.

Peyton decides not to disturb them so she quietly goes back up stairs to shower and get ready to talk to Lucas.

A couple of hours later, Peyton is slowly driving through her small home town, a place she hasn't been to in three years. Everything looks so familiar but yet so different.

As Peyton gets closer to Lucas's house, a place she spent a lot of her childhood, she starts to get goose bumps thinking about the last time she saw him.

It was the day of their high school graduation and she did everything she could to not bump into either Lucas or Brooke, because she could not handle seeing them happy together as a couple when she was so madly in love with Lucas and she was carrying his child, it was just to hard.

She pulls up outside his house, she just sits there unable to move with the fear of what Lucas might say.

After sitting there for twenty minutes she decides she cant hold off any longer she needs to get this over and done with so she can get on with her life.

Peyton gets out of her car, slowly she walks up to the front door and knocks, a couple of seconds later the door open to reveal Lucas standing there holding a gorgeous little boy, who looks about the same age as Grace, neither of them speak they just stand there staring into each others eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N; hi guys thank you for the great reviews, i know the chapters are a little short at the moment but they will get longer soon i promise. :-)

Chapter 5

Lucas is the first to break the silence,

"Peyton, its so good to see you"

"Hey Luke" Peyton is a little a taken aback, she is not sure how to react to the sight of Lucas holding this toddler.

Lucas invites her in telling her to excuse the mess he hasn't had chance to clean up yet today. He introduces Peyton to his baby brother who's name turns out to be Keith, Lucas sends Keith off to play in his room for a while.

They both sit making small talk for a while before Lucas goes quiet, and then he speaks again,

"Peyton where have you been"?

"I moved to LA, straight after graduation" She replies in a some what guarded way not sure how to tell him.

"Why did you go without telling anyone or even saying goodbye, I thought we were closer than that, I really needed you Peyton"

"Im sorry Luke, we were close that's why I had to go without telling anyone I couldn't have you coming after me I needed to be on my own for a while"

Lucas sits opposite her just looking at her with a hurt look on his face, not sure what she means by this.

"What do you mean.? Was it me had I done something to make you go"?

"Its very complicated, but it did have something to do with you and that is why I am here, Brooke contacted me a couple of weeks ago and she told me I had to talk to you and she is right," Peyton pauses for a moment "but its hard"

"Peyton you know you can talk to me about anything"

Peyton pauses before saying the next sentence, think of the best way to say this.

"Do you remember that night about three months before graduation"?

"Of course I do, that night we spent together was one of the best nights of my life"

"Well…

The condom must have split, Lucas"

Lucas isn't sure what she is saying, he sit's there waiting for her to carry on.

"The week of graduation I found out I was pregnant, and you were the only person I had been with since Jake six months earlier"

Peyton stops to let Lucas take all this in, and hoping he wont hate her for what she has done.

"Peyton why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you." He suddenly gets a sinking feeling in his stomach then he has to ask the question.

"Did you keep the baby"?

"As soon as I found out I was pregnant I knew I could not have an abortion, I looked into having the baby adopted, but I couldn't do it after all I have been through. So I decided the best thing for everyone was if I didn't tell you and for me to move away, I didn't want to ruin your life, when I left you were still with Brooke and I didn't want to ruin that"

Lucas gets up from his chair and starts to pace the room. Peyton can see that he is having trouble digesting all this information so she sits quietly, watching him and waiting for him to be ready to talk.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N ; Hi guys i am so sorry it has taken so long to update, thanks for all the great reveiws.

**Chapter 6**

An hour later and Lucas had calmed down, but he had still not said anything.

"Lucas, do you understand what I am telling you"?

"Yes Peyton i understand what you are saying," He stops talking and just stares at her for a couple of seconds. "You are telling me that you have kept my child a secret from me, all because YOU thought it was best for ME." He uses a raised voice to try and get his point across to her, but as soon as the words leave his mouth he regrets saying it that way.

"Yes Luke, it seemed the right thing to do at the time"

"Do you not think it is upto me to decided if a child would ruin my life? I understand why you did it but I would have liked to know that you were carrying my baby, you should have been honest with me Peyton"

"I am so sorry Luke, I just keep thinking that you and Brooke would think I had got pregnant on purpose to make you be with me and not Brooke, and that is not what happened I would never do that. I am so sorry, I understand if you hate me," Tears start to form in her eyes, she tries to just blink them away but they are determind to come out, and start to flow down her cheeks, she tries to wipe them away without Lucas noticing, but with no luck he has seen them.

Brooke made me realise you need to know"

Lucas moved from the arm chair to the sofa where Peyton was sitting, he sat down next to her and held her hand.

"Peyton I could never hate you i ..." He stops talking before saying something he is not ready to tell her.

"I am just a little disappointed that you couldn't come to me so we could go through this together, but I am glad you have found the courage to tell me now, Peyton am I going to be able to have a relationship with our child,? if you don't want me in theirs and your lives I understand and I will do anything I can to help you in the way you want me to"

Hearing Lucas say ' our child ' makes Peytons heart start to beat really fast, just like when they were in high school when he would hug her or sometimes kiss her, it is a feeling she had forced herself to forget because it was the best feeling she had ever had and she had always told herself she would never have that again.

"I want you to be as involved as you want I don't want you to think I have come here to force you into anything." Peyton looks at Lucas as she says this to see wot his reaction is. She is pleased to see his eyes light up.

"If you want to have a relationship with our daughter then we can arrange for her to come visit you or you come visit her, its totally up to you Luke"

"Oh my god I have a daughter," He pauses for a second letting the news sink in.

"of course I want to be involved, she is my flesh and blood I would never turn my back on my child like my dad did to me. I want to know everything about her, first I would like to know her name"

Peyton sighed with relife not only did he not hate her he wanted to be apart of their daughters life.

"Grace Karen Scott"

"You gave her my last name, and my moms name for her middle name, Peyton you don't know how much that means to me" Lucas starts to cry, it's a mixture of happy tears and sad tears that he has missed out on the first 2 and a half years of his daughters life.

Peyton moves closer to Lucas and hugs him to try and comfort him.

"I wanted her to have something from you even if you weren't there in person, she knows who you are I have shown her pictures. Luke if you want, I can bring her here so you can meet"?

"I would love that Peyton"

They sit talking all about Grace for a little while longer, Peyton arranges to bring her round tomorrow morning so they can spend the day together. Then she gets up to leave, she says her goodbyes and then leaves.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

That night after Peyton had left, Lucas was still in a state of shock, so many things spinning round in is head he felt sad, confused but also happy that his first child was with Peyton the love of his life the one person who really understands him, The same women who he had fantasized about from the very first day he saw her.

Once he had put little Keith to bed he makes his way back to the living room.

He just sat there in a little world of his own, he didn't even hear his mother come in the door from work.

Karen comes home to find her eldest son sat on the sofa just staring into space.

She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, which made him jump.

"Lucas, are you ok?"

Lucas jumped up off the sofa and hug his mom, and cried into her shoulder for about 5 minutes, Karen didn't say anything to her son she just hug him while he sobbed his heart out and waited for him to calm down.

"Mom im so glad you are home"

"Lucas whats the matter you are scaring me"

"Mom, Peyton is back, she came to see me" Lucas paused unable to tell his mom everything he knew he had to.

"Well that's a good thing isn't Luke you have wanted her to come home since she left" Karen replied with an air of caution to her question.

"Yes it is, its great to see her, she told my why she left Tree Hill, mom I think you should sit down before I tell you this"

Karen did as her son asked and sat down on the sofa next to him waiting to hear why Peyton left so suddenly after graduation, from the tone of Lucas's voice she knew it must be something serious.

It took a couple of minutes for Lucas to be able to bring himself to tell his mom.

"Peyton was pregnant with my child, that's why she left Tree Hill, she didn't tell anyone not even her dad, she did it all by herself, she didn't tell her dad till after she had the baby. Its all my fault if I had just stopped pretending I didn't love her because I was scared, and if I hadn't got back together with Brooke then Peyton wouldn't have thought she would be ruining my life and she could have come to me and told me then we could have gone through it all together, and I wouldn't have missed the first two and a half years of my Childs life"

Lucas has tears running down his face again.

"Lucas this is not your fault it is not anyone's fault, it is just the way things go, im sure Peyton thought she was doing what she thought was right for her, you and the baby she was carrying. Just be grateful she has found the courage to tell you now instead of in 16 years you have someone turn up on your doorstep telling you they are your child. You now have the rest of your lives to spend together"

Lucas looks at his mother knowing everything she has just said is all true.

All of a sudden Lucas's face brakes out into a huge smile.

"Mom I have a daughter… I am a dad I cant believe it, it doesn't seem real. I have a picture Peyton gave to me would you like to see?"

Lucas picks up the picture from the coffee table and passes it to his mother. Karen takes one look at it and starts to cry.

"Lucas she is beautiful, she looks just like you when you were a baby except for the long blond curly hair which she obviously gets that from her mom"

"Peyton called her Grace Karen Scott" He watches his mother to see her reaction.

A fresh load of tears start to fall from Karens eyes, as she hears that her first grandchild has her name.

Lucas fills his mom in on all the stuff Peyton told him about little Grace. They talk for a while then they say goodnight and both go to bed as it is getting late.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N- Hi guys i am really sorry it has taken so long for me to update really life got so hectic, i sort of lost my motivation, i am getting back on track with the story, thank you all for your reviews they really do help, please stick with me i will finish this fic.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 8**

Peyton sat up in bed and looked at the clock for about the 20th time tonight,

she sighed it was only 3.30 am she still had seven hours till she told Lucas she would bring Grace round to meet him.

Unable to sleep all night Peyton had just been lying there staring at the ceiling of her childhood bedroom, her thoughts jumping from how it would go tomorrow with Lucas and Grace, and how she missed Lucas so much since she left so soon in high school, and wishing she had done things differently back then and maybe Lucas would still be her closest friend.

Meanwhile across town in Lucas's bedroom he was in exactly the same position unable to sleep and worrying about meeting the daughter he only just found out about, and also thinking about how great it was seeing Peyton again after all this time, 'no don't do this she broke your heart once don't give her the chance to do it again' he told himself.

He promised himself he wouldn't let Peyton in his heart again because he couldn't cope with losing her again.

'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP'

Peyton's startled by her alarm clock, jumping up and trying to turn it off before it woke the whole house.

She sat on the edge of the bed rubbing her head and attempting to open her eyes.

Finally she decides to make her way to the bathroom to get ready.

"Lucas" Karen knocked on his bedroom door but got no reply.

"Lucas its nine thirty you need to get out of bed" still no reply,

Just as she was about to walk into his room, Lucas walks through the front door with what looks like the entire contents of the local toy store.

"Hey mom, sorry i went out early i couldn't sleep so i went for a walk and ended up at the toy store, and i couldn't help myself" Lucas grinned at his mother.

"Although i have no idea what a two and a half year old wants to play with so i just picked out a little of everything"

Karen smiled at him with such love and pride because she just knew he would be a wonderful father, and she could see it in his eyes he was so excited but also slightly scared not knowing what to expect.

"I'm going to take Keith to Haley's she said she would watch him while I'm working"

"OK mom, you didn't tell Haley about Peyton and Grace did you"?

"Of course i didn't Luke, thats for you to tell people when you are ready"

"Thanks mom, I love you" Lucas walked over to her and hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you too" Karen replied then she called little Keith and left .

Lucas wasn't sure what he should do now he still had an hour till they were due to come round.

**One hour later...**

Lucas just sat on the couch staring at the floor when her was startled by the knocking on the door. He got up and walked slowly to the front door, feeling more nervous than he had ever felt before, not knowing what would happen once he opens the door to the daughter he didn't know he had till yesterday.

"Hi Luke" Peyton said before he could say anything.

"Hi Luke"

Lucas was shocked to hear this tiny little voice from behind Peyton, then she stepped aside so he could see this beautiful 2 year old girl and in that second he felt his heart fill with a love he never imagined.

"Hi... please come in" Lucas held the door open and Peyton and Grace walked in past him.

Peyton sat on the couch while Grace started playing with Keith's toys, and Lucas just stood there watching her on the floor, amazed that she was his, he made her, he felt like his heart was going to explode with so much joy.

"Grace why don't you come over here and we can talk to Luke for a while I'm sure he would like to talk to you" She could see that Lucas was very nervous and wanted to try and make this a little easier for him, seeing as she is the reason they are in this situation.

For the next hour or so the three of them sat in the living room talking about nothing much just small talk and having a laugh.

"Grace would you like to go and play in the back yard there is a swing and slide out there?"

"Yes please Luke" She replied very excited.

They all went out into the garden, Lucas and Peyton sat on the steps while Grace ran over to the slide.

"Peyton i think we need to talk about what is going to happen now"

"I know Luke, I would really love it if we could be apart of your life"

"I want to be in Grace's life Peyton but i don't think i can get over what you did, but i don't want to fight about it anymore the most important thing now is Grace"

Peyton felt like her heart had broken into a million pieces again just like it did when she left three years ago.

"I understand Luke, I am so sorry for what i have done I don't know how to make things up to you, but i will do anything you ask Luke"

"Ok i just want to focus on Grace, I would love to spend some time with her just me and her so i can get to know her, but i need to know how you wanna handle this how are we going to tell her i am her dad"

"I really don't think it will be a problem, I have talked to her about you since she was born so she knows all about you, i think you should spend sometime with her first then we will sit her down together and explain it to her, if thats ok with you?"

Lucas agreed and they made plans for Lucas and Grace to spend the following day together.

After spending a few hours just watching Grace run around tiring herself out Peyton picked her up and they left saying their goodbyes.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N- Hey guys I know two new chapters in two days. It is 4am and i have all these new ideas for this story so decided to write it before i forgot them lol, so here is chapter 9 hope you enjoy it please review, i love to know what you guys think, xx tink xx**

**Chapter 9.**

Lucas walked into the kitchen of his mothers house with a huge smile on his face to find his mom and little brother sitting at the kitchen table eating pizza.

"Hi Luke, had a good day?" It was a simple question to her first born son, and she already knew the answer but still needed to ask it.

"Yes, it has been the most amazing week, I can't believe how my life has changed in such a short period of time"

Lucas replied to his mother still unable to remove the huge smile he had been wearing on his face for the best part of the last week.

Karen Roe looked at her son and realised she had not seen him this happy in such a long time, but she was worried that something would happen to take this happiness away from him when he needed it the most.

"I am glad you are happy sweetheart, Keith why don't you go watch some tv while i clean up"

Little Keith waddled off into the living room and started watching the Disney channel.

"Luke, I know that this past week has been a bit of a whirlwind but you need to start think about the future, what's going to happen when Peyton and Grace go back to LA, you need to talk to Peyton and sort everything out"

"I know mom"

Lucas's smiled faded slightly at the thought of the daughter he had only just meet would soon be leaving him again, and the thought that he would have to talk to Peyton soon.

He had done everything he possibly could to avoid Peyton, He would go over to Larry's every day to pick up Grace and then drop her off again later without having to say much to Peyton, he was polite but he was unable to talk to her without hundreds of questions on the end of his tongue he was dying to know the answers too. But Lucas being Lucas the ultimate nice guy he didn't want to upset anyone, including himself, because every time he thought about all the things he had missed out on and the future things he will probably miss out on because his daughter would soon be going home made him so sad and angry all at the same time and he could not stop the tears from falling from his eyes.

"I am not sure i can talk to her without getting angry with her i still don't get why she felt she couldn't come to me with this, I thought we were closer than that" He had a sad tone to his voice.

"Lucas I know it will be hard but you have to think about your daughter now, you have to forget everything that has happened in the past, you have to talk to Peyton, Lucas"

"I know you're right mom" He paused and just looked at the floor.

"I am going to bed i am shattered, I will see you in the morning, I love you mom"

"Goodnight, Love you too Luke"

Peyton woke up Sunday morning with a very tight knot in her stomach, knowing she had to go talk to Lucas today. She needed to go back to LA soon she really had to get back to work, she knew Lucas wouldn't take that news too well he had really bonded with Grace over the past week and it broke her heart to know she was going to take away his daughter for the second time.

She led there in her old bed hoping that sleep would find her again but she knew it wouldn't so she decided to get up and get this over with as soon as possible.

Once she had showered and dressed she crept down stairs as it was still early think nobody would be awake, only to find her dad already in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning sweetheart, sleep well?" Larry asked looking at his daughter with a warm smile.

"Sort of" Peyton replied while walking over to pour herself a strong cup of coffee.

She sat down opposite her father.

"Is everything ok Peyton?"

"Not really dad, could you watch Grace this morning i have to go see Lucas and talk about whats going to happen when i go back to LA, I know it is going to break his heart, but my life is there now i have to go back work"

"Of course i will watch her, When were you planning on going back to LA?"

"I really have to go back before Thursday, it's the busiest time at the club" Peyton said with a hint of pain and sadness in her voice.

Somewhere at the back of her mind she had been secretly hoping Lucas would give her a second chance when she found out he wasn't seeing anyone but he had barely spoken to her since that day she went to see him and tell him he had a daughter.

Coming back to Tree Hill had just made her realise that she still loved him, more than she ever did before after seeing him with their daughter she fell even more in love with him every time she saw him with Grace.

"I'm going to go for a walk to clear my head" She kissed her father on the cheeked and left.

Peyton wasn't sure how but after she had been walking for about half an hour she found herself outside Lucas's house, she checked her watch, 7.30. She decided to go round to the door to his bedroom so she didn't wake the whole family.

She knocked lightly on the door not sure what to expect, there was no reply, as she turned to leave she couldn't help herself she turned the handle to the door she had used so many times during high school, it was unlocked and she slipped into the room of the man she has always loved, to find him fast asleep on top of the bed fully clothed, she stood watching him for a few minutes before tears started rolling down her cheeks as she finally come to understand just how much she had hurt him and how she would never be apart of his life the way she wanted to be.

She turned to leave and paused, and thinking as soon as she left that room her life would never be the same again, he would never be there to save her, she had ruined everything.

As she wiped away the tears she heard Lucas stir.

"Peyton?"

Peyton stood there unable to turn around and face him with her tear stained face.

"Peyton what are you doing here?"

Lucas's first thought was oh my god what has happened to Grace, when she finally turned round, he suddenly saw the old Peyton from high school stood in his room crying over another tragic moment in her life.

Peyton just stood there staring at the floor not sure of what to say.

"Peyton is everything ok? Why are you here so early?"

"I am so sorry Luke, I was out walking and i ended up at your door, I was hoping to talk to you, but there was no answer when i knocked, I was going to leave but i had this sudden urge to be in here again after all this time I am so sorry Luke i will come back later"

She spoke so fast it took a few seconds for Lucas to take it all in, once he realised what she had been saying she was out the door and half way down the path.

He jumped up from the bed and ran after her.

"Peyton!!" He called after her but she didn't even turn around she just carried on walking away

Lucas ran to catch her, he grabbed her arm and spun her round, "Peyton it's ok please come back to the house we should talk"

Peyton was taken aback by his actions, as he grabbed her arm her heart jumped up into her throat just from his touch everything stood still, then she found he was guiding her back to his room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

He had finally got her back in his room and they had just sat on the bed for what seemed like forever without either saying anything.

Peyton sat there staring at the floor while Lucas sat there watching her, not sure what was going to happen.

He was the first to break the silence

"Peyton, What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I am so sorry Luke i have ruined everything for you and now i am about to do it all over again, I don't blame you for hating me cos i hate me"

The tears started to form in her eyes and she did everything she possible could to stop them from escaping.

"Peyton you are not making much sense"

"I have to go back to LA Luke" She blurted it out not knowing how else to tell him.

He looked at her shocked then he turned and focused his eyes on the floor.

"When" Was all he could manage to say.

"Soon... On Wednesday" Peyton could tell by the way he was sat she had just broken his heart, he looked defeated. She couldn't sit there and watch him break down she stood up and walked towards the door.

"I'm so sorry"

"Please Peyton don't go"

She wasn't sure if he meant don't leave the room or don't go back to LA, either way those words made the tears start to fall from her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

"What?"

"Please don't go"

"I have to go Luke i need to get back to work"

Lucas looked at her with tears rolling down his face just as they were on hers.

The look in his eyes made her want to run to him and hug him like she would have done when they were in high school but instead she just went and sat back on the bed and they sat together and cried.

"Don't take our daughter away from me again i have only just started to get to know her" He said quietly between sobs.

It broke Peyton's heart to see him like this and knowing it was her that was causing him so much pain just made it that much harder. But she could not stay in Tree Hill much longer, it killed her seeing him with Grace and knowing they could never be a family.

"Luke you can still see her, we will sort out her coming here and you can always come to LA to see her, I know you don't want to lose her but i promise you i will always do everything i can to make sure you have contact with Grace. I don't know what else to say or do Luke"

"You could always move back here... im sure you could run Tric again if you are worried about your job" Lucas looked up at her with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Its not just that Luke, my life is in LA now i cant just up and leave it all behind"

"Why not thats what you did three years ago i thought you were a pro at it" Lucas regretted saying that as soon as it left his lips he could see the hurt in Peyton's eyes.

"I'm sorry Peyt i didn't mean that"

"Yes you did Luke, and i don't blame you, nothing has changed since high school Luke i am always hurting the people i love...its easier if i stay away" Peyton's voice was quiet and full of sadness.

"Sorry, i don't know what else to say but i am sorry for all the pain and misery i have caused you. I have gotta go" She started to get up when Lucas pulled her back.

"I don't understand Peyton you come her to tell me i have a daughter then a week later you are here telling me you are taking her away from me again, please explain to me whats going on"

"I already told you, Brooke told me to come back and tell you, so i did and now i have to go home"

"So the only reason you came here was because Brooke told you to? So if she hadn't then i still wouldn't know i have a daughter?

He didn't give her chance to reply.

"Do you know what hurts me the most? The fact that we were so close i felt like i could tell you anything and you wouldn't judge me and i thought that was the same for you but it obviously wasn't, i understand it must have been hard when you thought i was with Brooke but wasn't there any point in the past three years that you could call me or write me a letter to let me know you had my child, I thought you were the one person who knew me better than anyone else, you knew how much i wanted to have kids and to be a good dad unlike my own father, but you took that away from me and now you are doing all over again."

Peyton was now crying so hard she couldn't see properly, she knew he was right she screwed up, and she didn't know what else to say except;

"I'm sorry" With that she turned and left and this time he didn't come after her.

Peyton walked as fast as she possibly could to get away from the man she loved not being able to watch the pain she was causing him, she always thought he wanted Brooke, he always chose Brooke over her, he said he was the man for Brooke Davies, she thought she would just be in the way if she had stayed so she did what she thought Lucas would have wanted she left so he could be with Brooke .

Peyton walked for a little while trying to compose herself before she went back to her daughter she didn't want her to see her like this, when she walked through the door Grace was sitting watching tv and Larry was in the kitchen she went in to her dad and he knew straight away the talk had not gone well.

"Peyton, sweetheart come here"

She walked over to her dad and they just stood there hugging each other.

Lucas led back down on his bed letting the tears flow freely. It had hurt him so much when she left Tree Hill without saying goodbye, but at that moment he wanted nothing more than to chase after her and kiss her and tell her he still loved her and hold onto her for ever never letting her go again.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N- Hey guys I know you are probably fed up with me keep updating this weekend but I seem to be on some sort of writing roll and so I decided just to keep going with it, I am really enjoying writing this fic I just hope you are enjoying reading it. Please read and review I love to know what you all think xxxx**

**Chapter 11**

Lucas jumped up from his bed knowing exactly what he needed to do to try and make Peyton stay in Tree Hill with his daughter.

He walked over to the desk and picked up his cell, he dialled a number he had on called a few times in the past three year.

"Hey, It's me, I need your help, She is going to leave she is going to take my daughter away from again. Please come here and make her see she has to stay." Lucas said quietly in to the phone while more tears fell from his eyes.

He listened to what the other person on the phone had to say then he closed his cell and went to have a shower.

Lucas climbed out the shower and went back to his room and looked at the time 8.15, still too early to go pick up Grace for the day, so he got dressed and then sat at his desk and started to write, the only thing he really knew how to do right.

An hour later and Lucas was stood outside the house that he used to have a key for, the house he loved going into to see the one girl he truly loved.

He knocked lightly on the door knowing that after their talk this morning Peyton would probably have gone back to bed after all the crying she did, she would be shattered.

The door opened and Larry was stood in the door way with the most beautiful girl Lucas had ever seen in his arms and he couldn't help but smile.

"Hi Gracie, how about we go round to Uncle Nathans and Aunt Haley's today?"

"Daddy" The two year old screamed with such excitement and holding her arms out for him to take her from her granddad.

Lucas just stood there totally gob smacked, she had never called him that, it felt amazing to hear that word come out of her little gorgeous mouth. He didn't expect that so soon after just meeting her.

"Lucas... I think your daughter wants you" Larry chuckled knowing the exact feeling Lucas was having at the minute the first time they call you daddy is fabulous.

That snapped Lucas back to reality and he took the wiggling child from Larry and gave her a big sloppy kiss on her cheek, which made her giggle.

"So sweetie are you ready to go? Have you said bye bye to your mommy?"

"Mommy is sleeping... sssshhhh" she said holding a little finger to her mouth just like Peyton did.

"Ok say bye to your Grandpa then and we will see mommy later"

"Bye gandpa" Grace said in such a cute little voice.

"Bye baby girl be good for your daddy" Larry said watching Lucas's reaction to someone else calling him that, and it made him laugh inside to see the younger mans eyes tear up a little.

As they were leaving Lucas turned and handed Larry an envelope with Peyton's name on the front.

Larry just nodded and waved the pair off as they walked down the path.

Once Larry closed the door Peyton walked down the stairs with tears in her eyes again having heard everything, she was so happy Grace had called Lucas daddy, but then she just thought about how much she had hurt him and it was bitter sweet.

Larry turned to his daughter and handed her the envelope that Lucas had just given him.

Peyton took the envelope then went back up to her room to read what was in it.

She sat on her bed and slowly opened the envelope not sure what to expect, she took a long deep breath and started to read.

_**Dear Peyton,**_

_**I am not really sure why i am writing this letter, I have got so many things i want to say to you but as always i am too much of a coward to say them to your face.**_

_**First of all, I have NEVER hated you Peyton and I never could, you were my first love and that means so much too me, more than you could ever know.**_

_**I am just really hurt right now, knowing you couldn't come to me when you really needed someone, I know you thought you were doing the best thing for me but I was a big boy and I should have had the chance to make up my own mind on the subject.**_

_**I am SO SORRY, for all the horrible things I have said about you in the past three years and all the things I have said to you in the past week, they are unforgivable.**_

_**I really don't want to lose Grace...or you, again, I don't think I could cope.**_

_**I know it is your life and I have no right to tell you what to do but I think I should have a say in what happens with our daughter.**_

_**If I could I would pack up all my stuff and Follow you and Grace to LA but I can't leave my mom or little Keith, they need me here with them.**_

_**But if you stayed here you wouldn't have anymore problems there are so many people here that want to help you, and watch Grace grow up, Theres my mom, your dad, Nathan, Haley, Skills and Bevin, and then theres me, I need to be near Grace to make up for the time I have missed so far, I don't want to miss anything else not one single thing, I want to be there when she falls to wipe away her tears and kiss her better, I want to be there when she starts school, I wanna be there when she gets her hair cut, I wanna be there when she loses her first tooth, I wanna be there for every second of her life.**_

_**I was falling to pieces before you showed up last week and told me I had something to get up for in the morning, in the space of a few seconds my life changed for the better and I don't want to go back to how I felt before. I can't, I need her to be in my life, and not be hundreds of miles away, I need to be able to see her when ever I want or when ever she might need me, because I know all to well what it feels like to grow up without your father, I can't let that happen to Grace I don't want her to grow up with the same pain I did.**_

_**I know I screwed up in high school but please don't punish me for it now by taking her away from me.**_

_**Grace is the best thing I have ever done in my life and it means so much to me knowing I made her with you!!**_

_**I will respect your decision what ever you decide, but I just needed to get these things of my chest before you leave again.**_

_**I am so sorry Peyton, I am sorry that you had to go through all this by yourself and I am sorry for everything I have ever done to hurt you.**_

_**All my love **_

_**Lucas xx**_

Peyton couldn't believe what she had just read, he was apologizing to her for things that he had no control over, this was typical Lucas always being the nice guy always trying to make things easier for her, even though this mess is all her fault.

She sat and read the letter three more times to make sure she took everything in, she got up and walked towards her desk to pick up the phone to call Lucas, as she picked it up the phone started ringing.

"Hello"

"Hey P Sawyer guess who is coming home for a visit"

"Oh my god, Brooke, When are you getting here I could really use an old friend" As she said these words a single tear fell down her cheek, knowing Brooke was the only friend she had left that sort of understood why she did what she did.

"Peyton are you ok? You sound sad"

"No I'm fine Brooke, I just really need a friend"

"Ok P, I will be getting in later tonight, do you wanna meet me at my house at about 5pm, I really want to meet Grace"

"Ok Brooke we will see you then" She said with a small smile on her lips.

They said their goodbyes and Peyton hung up the phone and was just about to dial Lucas's number then she stopped herself knowing she couldn't do this over the phone.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N- Ok this is a long chapter hope its not too long, please read and review xx ;-) xx**

**Chapter 12**

"Hey, this is Luke's phone leave me a message and i will get back to you"

Peyton waited for the beep.

"Hi Luke, Brooke is back in town I am going to be over at her house so can you drop Grace off there please? Thanks, Oh and by the way Luke you don't need to apologize to me for anything I was the one who screwed up. Ok talk to you later..." Peyton had the sudden urge to end that message with the words 'I love you' but stopped herself just in time knowing that would just open a whole can of worms and it would just make things even more complicated.

Peyton made her way over to the house she had stayed in so many times when she was younger it felt a little like it was her second home.

She got to the house a bit early, she knocked on the door but there was no answer so she got the spare key out from under the plant pot and let herself in.

Once she was in there she didn't know what to do it felt strange being there without Brooke, so she just sat on the couch and waited for her oldest friend to get home.

Almost an hour later Peyton finally heard a key in the door and in came Brooke Davies looking as glamorous as always.

"Peyton?? Are you here?"

"Yes Brooke I have been here for nearly an hour, trust you B Davies to be late" She replied with a little chuckle.

Brooke walked in to the living room and as soon as she saw Peyton stood there she dropped the luggage she was carrying and ran over to give her a hug.

As soon as Peyton felt the familiar feeling of her friends arms round her she couldn't help but burst into tears again for about the 10th time that day.

"Peyton whats wrong?" Brooke pulled back from the sobbing girl in front of her and sat them both down on the couch.

"I have ruined his life Brooke and now I am about to do it all over again"

"What do you mean how are you going to do it again haven't you just told him he has a beautiful daughter?"

"Yes Brooke, but I have to go back to LA, I am taking her away from him again, I don't think he will ever forgive me, and I don't blame him, I screwed up then and i have gone and done it again"

Brooke sat there just looking at Peyton for a second trying to figure out what was going through her mind and then it clicked.

"Peyton thats not all is it? There is something else you are not telling me"

"No Brooke there is nothing else" She replied not daring to look Brooke in the eye knowing she would be able to see it in her eyes there was something else but she didn't want to admit it to herself let alone anybody else.

"PEYTON ELIZABETH SAWYER look at me now and tell me what is going on" Brooke demanded, she Peyton to well.

Just as Peyton opened her mouth to say something there was a knock at the door. Brooke got up from the couch and walked towards the door and turned to look at Peyton before opening it to say...

"This is not over P Sawyer"

Peyton just looked away, knowing that it would be Lucas at the door with their daughter, she wiped the tears from her eyes and got up and walked to the door just as Brooke open it.

"Hey Broody, long time no see"

"Hey Brooke, I am just here to drop Grace off with Peyton"

The man she saw in front of her was not the Lucas Scott she used to know, He was more mature and had an air of sadness to his voice.

"Come in for a minute Luke"

Lucas stepped inside but stayed stood near the door for a quick exit. He looked down at the sleeping toddler in his arms and didn't want to let her go but he knew he had to get out of there a fast as he could before someone said something to either start an argument or make him say something he would regret.

He kissed his daughter on her curls and whispered 'I love you baby girl' then passed her over to Peyton and turned to leave the house.

"Thank you Luke" Peyton tried to say it softly as not to wake Grace but it didn't work and she woke with a start.

"Daddy" Grace cried

Lucas turned to his daughter straight away to sooth her.

"Its ok baby girl I am here, you are with your mommy now, you be a good girl for mommy and i will see you in the morning. Sweet dreams" He said and kissed her again then left before either of his ex girlfriends saw the tears that were form in his eyes.

Back inside the house Grace was wide awake now hugging her mom.

All three ladies made their way back into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Grace, you remember when i told you about my friend Brooke, well this is Brooke here, are you going to say hi"

"Hi" Grace looked at Brooke then back at Peyton "Where is daddy"

"Daddy had to go sweetie he will be back to see you in the morning"

Grace looked so sad when her mom told her that her daddy had gone, so she just snuggled in to Peyton's arms and slowly fell asleep again.

Peyton laid Grace down on the couch and she and Brooke went into the kitchen.

"Peyton are you going to tell me what the hell is going on, You and Lucas couldn't even look at each other and he couldn't wait to get out of here and then you were so upset before he got here, so spill girl whats up?"

Peyton hesitated not really knowing what to say. She knew she couldn't lie to Brooke she knew her too well.

"Peyton come on I am here to help"

"I don't really know Brooke... Lucas is wonderful with Grace but he barely speaks to me and when he does we end up shouting at each other, I make him so angry I don't think he will every forgive me for what I have done"

"I have never seen him cry so much in the whole time I have known him Brooke, It hurts me so much to see him in so much pain and all i wanna do is hug him and kiss him to make it all better but I know it wont and there is nothing I can do, I always end up hurting him and myself, so I am going back to LA on Wednesday"

Brooke was dumb founded by the whole load of information she has just got in a few seconds.

"Peyton, you are still in love with him arnt you?"

"No" Peyton said a little too abruptly.

"Peyton I could see it in your eyes as you were talking about him, Peyt you need to tell him how you feel"

"I cant I have already made his life so complicated, I don't want to add to it with what ever is going on in my head"

Brooke knew there wasn't any point forcing the blond to talk about it so she just held her hand and changed the subject.

"So do you wanna stay over tonight we could catch up?"

"I cant Brooke I really should get Grace back to my dads, I'm sorry"

"Thats ok best friend we can catch up tomorrow when Luke has Grace"

They hugged before Peyton scooped her daughter up into her arms and then left.

Once Brooke had made sure Peyton was out of sight she dialled a number on her cell.

"They have gone, you wanna come over and talk? Ok let yourself in I will be in the kitchen" She listened to the other person on the phone then hung up.

**Thirty minutes later.**

Lucas let himself into the house as she had told him too and he walked straight into the kitchen to find her sitting with her back to him.

"Brooke" He said softly

"Oh my god Lucas you frightened me" she got up to go greet her old friend.

"Sorry, I didn't mean too"

Brooke just smiled at him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Are you ok Luke? I know this has been a big shock for you"

"Yeah I am ok, it was a huge shock but I love Grace she is the most amazing little thing, I cant imagine my life without her now. Thats why i called you I need your help, cos apparently Peyton listens to you, I need you to make her stay here for a little while longer at least"

Brooke looked at him with a look full of sympathy.

"Did she tell you she is taking her away from again? On Wednesday, they are both going to get on a plane back to LA, and there is nothing I can do to stop her" The tears started to roll down his face again, but he wiped them away in anger.

"Luke I don't know what I could possible say to make her stay here"

"Please Brooke I am begging you please at least try, she came here because you told her to so please tell her she has to stay" His eyes were full of hope and pain at the same time and it broke Brooke's heart to see him like this.

"Luke, is this just about losing Grace or are you afraid of losing Peyton again, I totally understand now what you guys had back in high school, and i can understand if you still love her"

Lucas just stared at her not knowing what to say, he didn't want to admit to his ex girlfriend that he was still in love with her best friend.

Brooke placed a soft caring hand on top of his.

"I don't think i ever stopped loving her Brooke, my life has been miserable since she chose to leave without saying goodbye, I didn't think my heart would ever be fixed, but then she turned up on my door step a week ago and the minute I saw her I knew I could never love anyone the way I love her, i thought she had come back to me but then she told me this huge thing that changed everything"

"Luke she thought she was doing the right thing for you and me, when she left we had just got back together and she thought I was having your baby, and she knew how much you didn't want to be like your father, having two kids by two different women straight out of school, so she just took herself out of the situation, Yeah in hindsight if she had stuck around for a couple more weeks she wouldn't have needed to leave but she was so madly deeply in love with you she wasn't think straight, and I didn't help either I was a total bitch to her the week before she left, but Luke we can not live in the past...you have the most amazing daughter with the woman you have been in love with since high school, you have to focus on the positives Luke, if you still love her then tell her who knows she may still feel the same way then she will stay here and you could be a family" Brooke took a deep breath trying to calm herself.

"Brooke I have got to go"

"Ok Luke but promise me you will think about what I said, and of course I will help you in anyway possible"

"Thank you pretty girl" Lucas hugged her and kissed her on the cheek and left, he had a lot of thinking to do.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N- Thank you all for the fantastic reviews, please keep reviewing I love to know what you think.**

**Hope you like this chapter. XXXXX**

**Chapter 13**

Brooke was woken by the shrill of her cell phone, she sat up and looked at the clock, 3.30am, she grabbed the phone about to shout at who ever the hell was calling her at this time, till she saw the caller id flashing 'Peyton'

"Peyton whats wrong? Is everything ok?" She said with the worry evident in her voice.

"Nothing is wrong Brooke" The blond replied quietly

"Then why the hell are you calling me at 3.30 in the morning, you scared the shit out of me"

"Sorry, I just really need to talk to you, I need your help"

"Of course, P, what can I do for you?"

Peyton explained her plan to her best friend, and Brooke listened intently.

30 minutes later Peyton had finally finished explaining.

"Ok Peyton I will get onto it first thing in the morning"

"Thank you best friend, sorry I woke you up" Peyton said with a slight smirk on her face.

Brooke was amazed Peyton had called her best friend, for the first time in over three years.

"Peyton... I love you best friend"

"Ditto"

They both laughed then hung up the phone.

Brooke only managed to get a couple more hours sleep before she was up ready to set the plan in motion.

She looked at the clock for the hundredth time that morning, and thought to herself '7.30 Lucas must be up and awake now'

She grabbed the phone and called the very familiar number and waited for an answer.

"Hello" Karen said into the phone.

"Hi Karen its Brooke, Is Lucas there I really need to talk to him"

"Sure Brooke I will go get him"

"Thanks" Brooke could hear his mother calling him.

"Hey Brooke whats up?"

"Luke I need your help could you come over asap please?" she said very dramatically.

"Sure I can stop by before I go pick Grace up"

"Thanks Luke just let yourself in again" They hung up and Lucas got ready to leave, while Brooke started dialing another very familiar number.

"Hey its done he is on his way over so hurry up and get your skinny ass over here"

10 minutes later and Lucas was stood in Brooke's kitchen listening to her tell him how she had tried to do some laundry and the washing machine had started making funny noises.

"Ok, where is it I will take a look"

"Thanks Luke its down in the basement, you go down I will get us a drink then meet you down there" She smiled knowing he was falling for this load of rubbish she was saying.

Lucas just nodded and made his way down to the basement, as he reached the bottom of the stairs another blond was just entering Brooke's house, to be meet by a smiling brunette who looked very proud of herself.

"Where is he?" She whispered

"Downstairs in the basement"

"Brooke you know I hate it down there" She said slightly annoyed

"I know, but thats the only place I can lock you in so he cant leave without talking to you, you two need to get this stuff sorted out"

The blond knew she was right and hugged her before taking a big deep breath and going down the stairs towards the basement.

Lucas heard footsteps on the stairs and presumed it was Brooke.

"Brooke I cant see anything wrong with this washing mach..."He stopped talking when he turned around to see the owner of the footsteps.

"Peyton! What are you doing here? Who's got Grace?" Suddenly worried there might be something wrong.

"Its ok Luke your mom has her for the day"

"Ok, so why are you here"

"Luke we need to sort stuff out properly without one of us running away"

"But how did you know I was here? Brooke only called me a little while ago"

"DUH!!, Broody seriously did you really think I would do laundry?" Brooke said chuckling from the stairs before she turned and locked them in the basement.

"Brooke this is not funny now let me out I wanna spend the day with my daughter" Lucas said as he ran to the door. But he got no reply.

"Its no good Luke she has gone we are here till we sort some stuff out"

"Peyton" He looked at her with so much anger in his eyes, it frightened her a little.

"GOD YOU DONT GET IT DO YOU, I NEED TO SPEND TIME WITH GRACE BEFORE YOU GO AND LEAVE AGAIN, ITS NOT FAIR YOU GET TO BE WITH HER ALL THE TIME, AND WHAT DO I GET NOTHING BUT A FEW DAYS HERE AND THERE" He couldn't help but shout at her it broke his heart knowing that he would lose them again in a couple of days and he really needed to be with Grace.

"I know Lucas none of this is fair on neither you or Grace, so lets sort this out then you can go be with her" Peyton replied softly.

"I am not ready to talk to you Peyton"

"Well tough luck Luke this isn't about you or me its about our daughter she comes first we have to talk to one another whether we want to or not" Her voice was raised and it startled him.

Lucas looked around the basement and spotted a couple of deck chairs and went to get them, he got them out and gave one to Peyton, She took it from him noticing he still would not look at her.

"Thanks" she said almost as a whisper.

They both sat there in silence for what seemed like forever, Peyton broke the silence.

"Luke?"

Lucas forced himself to look up at her face, god he had tried to forget how beautiful she was but she still managed to take his breath away.

"Please talk to me Luke, If not for me do it for Grace"

"Peyton, I don't want to fight with you, I am just so angry and hurt and disappointed and sad, I don't know what to do"

"I know what it did was wrong Luke, but you have got to believe me at the time I thought it was the best thing for everyone, especially you! You were with Brooke I thought thats who you wanted to be with and I didn't want to mess it all up for you, and I wanted you to be happy"

"You couldn't have got it more wrong Peyton... It was YOU I wanted to be with I was just scared I would mess things up an I would lose you for good, so I choose the easy option." Lucas looked away from Peyton quickly.

Peyton couldn't believe what she was hearing all this time she thought he choose Brooke instead of her but the truth was he choose Brooke for her. She was gob smacked.

"You should have told me Luke, I wanted to be with you too, the night Brooke was telling you she was pregnant, I was stood behind you at the river court I was coming to tell you the exact same thing. And to tell you I loved you, but then I heard you tell Brooke you loved her and you would be there for her, it killed me cos thats what I wanted you to tell me." Peyton paused and looked up to see two blue eyes staring at her.

"I was going to tell you Luke honest but the same thing was going round my head it was a quote from either a book or a poem you had read, that you had told me ' If you love someone then let them go' so thats what I did Luke I let you go.

"Peyton how did things get so screwed up?"

"I really don't know"

"Do you wanna know what is funny Luke?" not waiting for a reply " Back in high school I used to have these dreams, you and I were married and living in this beautiful house with a white picket fence and we would have a couple of kids together, I loved those dreams. So when I found out I was pregnant sure I was scared but I was also really happy, thinking that those dreams may come true. After I left Tree Hill the only thing that kept me from having some sort of break down was knowing I had a part of you growing inside of me and that was an amazing feeling" She stopped talking when she saw the tears in his eyes.

"Oh my god Peyton, I really wish I could have been there to experience it all with you, and do you really want to know what the funny thing is? I used to have the exact same dreams, God the thought of you carrying my child was mind blowing" Now the tears that were in his eyes were rolling down his cheeks.

Peyton walked over to him and knelt down in front of him wiping away the tears.

"I am so sorry Luke, I don't know what else to say but I'm so sorry, I will never forgive myself for depriving you of that experience and of all that you missed with Grace" She now had her own tears rolling down her cheeks.

Lucas looked up into Peyton's beautiful green eyes. "No I am sorry Peyton, I have been putting all the blame on you, But I screwed up to, if only I had admitted to myself how much I loved you, I could have told you and you may have stayed" He lifted his left hand to her cheek to wipe away her tears with his thumb.

Peyton shuddered at his touch, it was like a bolt of lightning shooting through her whole body.

Lucas pulled away quickly thinking not realizing the effect his touch had on her. He looked at his watch and noticed they had been down there for several hours. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and pressed speed dial 1.

Peyton saw what he was doing and stood up and put her jacket on ready to go thinking he was calling Brooke to let them out, Then he started talking and she stopped.

"Hi Mom, just wanted to call and make sure Gracie is ok" He listened to the older woman on the end of the phone line then said he would call her later, then hung up.

Turning back round to Peyton he repeated what his mother had said.

"She said Grace is having lots of fun with Grandma and Uncle Keith" He laughed at the sentence.

"God that sounds so weird" She said before bursting out laughing.

Peyton thought to herself how much see missed this just hanging out with him just joking around, she never wanted this to end.

The laughter soon stopped and they sat down and started talking again, about Grace, Peyton filling Lucas in on all the things he has missed.

They talked for a couple more hours about everything, Grace, High school, everything except the one thing they both had on there minds.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N- Hey guys thank you for the fab reviews I love reading them. So this is a short chapter, but I didn't think this one needed to be too long. Updates won't be as frequent as the have been the past week sorry but real life is getting in the way again :-(**

**Please read and review xx ;-) xx**

**Chapter 14**

Still locked in the basement of Brooke's house, All the laughter and the talking had stopped and both Peyton and Lucas just sat in silence staring at the floor.

They had been down there for hours, it was starting to get dark and neither of them chose to switch the light on, they sat there as the room gradually got darker and darker.

"Luke" Peyton whispered

Lucas jumped at the sudden sound of her voice in the darkness.

"Yes Peyton" He replied

"We need to sort out what is going to happen when I go back to LA, I want to make this as easy as possible for you Luke"

"I don't know how to sort this out Peyton the only thing I want is... for you and Grace to stay here in Tree Hill with me" Lucas said the last part so quietly it was hard for her to hear him.

Peyton didn't say anything.

Lucas thought maybe she hadn't heard him, so was about to repeat himself, but before he could say anything he felt Peyton move round so she was knelt on the floor in front of him.

She slowly put her hands on his legs, she waited for a second to see if he would push her away. As he didn't she started moving her hands up his body till her hands were on his chest, then she moved her right hand up to cup his cheek.

Before Lucas knew what was happening he felt her lips press his ever so softly, as if she was asking permission. He was so shocked at what was happening he didn't responded to the kiss and she quickly pulled away mumbling her apologizes.

As she tried to leave, Lucas grabbed her hand and pulled her back to face him, he leaned forward and brushed his lips on hers, the kiss started soft, then the three years worth of lust kicked in and the kiss became more desperate, their hands were moving over each others bodies trying to take it all in.

Peyton couldn't believe what was happening she had dreamt about doing this with him since that one night they were together, the night Grace was conceived. She never wanted it to end, but there was a voice in the back of her mind warning her this could make things so much worse.

"I'm not sure we should be doing this Luke" She said pulling away from him.

His response was he pulled her into his arms and continued kissing her.

Lucas's head was telling him this is wrong but his heart and his body were telling him differently, he couldn't control himself he never wanted to let her go again it felt so right having her in his arms again.

They continued kissing losing themselves in each other, having no control over what was happening.

Peyton suddenly remembered that Brooke had given her a key to the basement door for an emergency, she began searching her jeans pockets, when she found the key she pulled away from Lucas and held his hand guiding him towards the stairs, they got to the door and she let go of his hand to unlock the door.

As Peyton let go of his hand, he put his hands on her waist without really thinking. Once she had opened the door she turned around to look at him.

As soon as she turned around Lucas captured her lips with his again. As the kissed she pulled him out of the basement and toward the stairs and guided him up to the spare bedroom, she opened the door of the bedroom not sure of what to do she stopped walking and pulled away from him looking into his beautiful blue eyes to find some reassurance.

Lucas then took control of the situation and pushed the blond girl toward the bed and led her down in the middle, he stood watching her for a few seconds before he lent down and kissed her again this time it was soft and full of love, as they kissed he started to undress her slowly and in return she began undressing him, they kept their eyes locked on each other.

Lucas woke in the early hours of the morning, to find the most beautiful woman he had ever seen wrapped up in his arms, he felt happy then the guilt set in. he knew this was a huge mistake, it wouldn't change anything, he felt his heart break all over again.

He managed to untangle their bodies, slip out of the bed and quickly get dressed without waking her, he found a note pad and quickly scribbled a note. Then he left her alone.

When Peyton woke up she had a smile on her face, till she realised he was gone, she looked around and saw the note he had left on the pillow next to hers.

_Peyton,_

_I am so sorry but last night was a mistake, it shouldn't have happened._

_I took advantage of you I'm sorry._

_I let my heart rule my head and it was wrong, _

_I am so sorry._

_Luke_

As she read the note tears started rolling down her cheeks and she sat naked in the bed she had made love to the man she loved the night before and sobbed.

Peyton couldn't cope with answering the questions she knew Brooke would ask, so she got dressed, changed the sheets and then used the same note pad Lucas had to right a note to Brooke.

_Best friend,_

_Thank you for all your help,_

_It didn't work nothing has changed,_

_I really need to be by myself for a while talk to you later._

_Love you_

_P xx_

Peyton left the note on the kitchen work surface so Brooke would see it then she left the house.

Then left the house and started walking not knowing her destination she just needed to walk.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N – Hey guys, another chapter for you, I have re-written this one 4 times, I really don't like it but it gets us to where the story needs to be so sorry its not a great chapter. Next one will be up soon.**

**Chapter 15.**

Several hours later Brooke returned to her house, hoping it had all worked out and her friends had managed to sort things out.

"Hello, Blondie...Broody...anyone here?" She called out as she walked into the kitchen, where she found the note Peyton had left her.

As she read the note her heart sank, thinking to herself this whole mess between her two best friends had gone on long enough, So she decided to do something about it.

30 minutes later and she was walking into Lucas's bedroom.

"Luke, we need to talk"

"Ssshhhh, Brooke I have just put Grace down for a nap" He said as he pulled her out of the room and into the kitchen.

Once she was sure they were far enough away from Grace, she punched him on the arm.

"Ouch, what was that for"?

"What the hell did you do last night Lucas? I cant get hold of Peyton, so here I am, now tell me what were you thinking, I can not believe you slept with her last night then just leave her a really horrible note" She said as she handed him the note she had found on the floor in the spare bedroom.

Lucas didn't say anything he knew what he did was wrong but he couldn't bring himself to forgive Peyton for what she did, but that didn't stop him loving her and wanting her. His heart is telling him to 'shut up or he will lose her again' but his head is saying that what she did is unforgivable.

"Luke, you have to talk to her properly and not just about Grace, but about what happened between you two before she left the first time" she paused for a second watching a single tear roll down his cheek "Luke I know you love her, you need to sort yourself out and soon because she IS leaving on Wednesday Luke for good"

"I cant Brooke it is too hard" His reply was barely a whisper.

Brooke walked over to him and place a comforting hand on his.

"She loves you Luke. But she is scared she is always going to be second choice with you, because you chose me, twice. She seems to think that you two are not destined to be together, but Luke I know you are, you fit together, you belong together. Please don't throw it all away over one mistake "

As she stopped talking there was a cry coming from his bedroom.

"I cant deal with this now Brooke, my daughter needs me" With that he turned and walked away from the brunette.

Brooke watched the broken man she once loved walk away from her. She quietly left the house determined to find Peyton.

After nearly an hour of searching all over town Brooke finally spotted her oldest friend in the place she now realised she should have looked first. All through high school when Peyton wanted to be alone she always came here to talk with her mom.

Peyton was in Tree Hill cemetery, sitting next to her mothers grave quietly talking to the block of stone that had been there for so long.

Brooke walked up behind her and softly placed her hand on the blond girls shoulder, and thats when she noticed that she was sobbing.

"Peyton" The brunette whispered, as she sat down beside her.

Peyton didn't answer she just leaned into her friend who then wrapped her arms around her while she silently cried.

The two women sat there in silence still holding on to each other for a while, till Brooke pulled back to look into the blonds eyes.

"Peyton, you have got to sort this out, you cant keep doing this to yourself"

Peyton pulled away from her friends embrace and stood ready to walk away.

"Your right Brooke, I cant keep doing this to myself. I'm done fighting, He doesn't want to forgive me, and I am not going to stick around and keep hurting myself, I am still going to leave on Wednesday but this time for good, I am never coming back, It was a huge mistake coming back in the first place, and it is all your fault Brooke, you made me come here it's your fault my heart is broken again, I HATE YOU BROOKE" As she spoke her voice got louder and louder till she was shouting at the brunette.

Brooke couldn't believe what was happening, she thought she had done something good for the first time in her life that wasn't for herself, she had selflessly tried to help someone else but it had all backfired. She was gob smacked, there was tears forming in her eyes, desperately fighting to stop them falling, she watched her oldest friend walk away from her and was unable to move. Once Peyton was out of sight Brooke broke down, collapsing in a heap on the floor.

As Peyton reached her car she was so angry with everything herself, Brooke and Lucas, she took her anger out on her car, kicking it so much she left a big dent in the side.

With the realization of what she had just said to Brooke she ran as fast as she could away from the cemetery, knowing that nothing had changed in the three years since she left, she still managed to hurt everyone she loved when ever she was in this little town that she once called home.

Early the following morning, Brooke was already packing her bags ready to leave Tree hill and go back to her new life, but before she could leave there was something she had to do.

Half an hour later she was stood outside a very familiar door knocking quietly.

Lucas was woken up by the light knocking on his door, He got out of bed and walked to answer the door while still half asleep.

"Brooke, What are you doing here its really early"

"Sorry Luke, But I am catching an early flight"

"Your leaving? I thought you would stay and go back to LA with Peyton"

"That was the plan but I really need to get back there now, I just wanted to come by and say goodbye before I go, and to ask you to give this to Peyton" She handed him an envelope with just the letter P on it.

"Is everything ok? Why don't you give it to her when you see her next?" Lucas was a bit puzzled

"I don't know when I will see her next Luke so please just give it too her for me, and tell her I love her. And please give that cute little girl of yours a big hug from her Aunty Brooke" As she spoke he could tell she was fighting back tears.

"Brooke you know you can talk to me, no matter where you are or when, I will always be here for you Brooke"

Brooke nodded "Yes Luke I know Thank you, but I am fine don't worry about me" She walked over to the tall blond and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

Brooke pulled away from Lucas and walked towards the door, as she opened the door she turned to look at him.

"I love you Broody, make sure you look after everyone for me"

"I will, love you too Pretty girl"

With that she turned and left, leaving Lucas standing alone in his room feeling very confused.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N – This chapter is a little longer hope you like it, please read and review ;-)**

**Chapter 16.**

Lucas got to Peyton's house a little early, hoping his daughter was ready to go so he didn't have to spend too long with Peyton because he knew it was going to be really uncomfortable, and he didn't think he could trust himself, he hated seeing Peyton hurting and in the past he would always do anything to make her feel better but this time he was what was hurting her.

Larry opened the front door to find Lucas stood there looking like a shy teenager.

"Hi rake boy, neither of the girls are up yet, but come in and wait for Grace" He whispered hoping not to wake either of the sleeping girls.

Lucas just nodded and followed the older man into the kitchen, and sat at the table.

"So Luke how have you been"

"I'm ok, I have had the best week spending everyday with Grace, I cant believe she is mine, she is the best thing that has happened to me" Lucas spoke with a huge smile on his face the same way he did whenever he spoke about his daughter.

"I'm glad Lucas, Peyton was really worried you wouldn't understand why she did what she did..."

"I understand Mr Sawyer but I cant forgive her for it, I have missed out on the first two years of my daughters life, I don't think I could ever forgive her for that" Lucas interrupted the older man.

"Lucas I know it has been a big shock for you, but Peyton really did think she was doing the right thing for you"

"I know she did but it should have been my choice whether I wanted to be in Grace's life from the beginning she should have come talk to me, I thought we were closer than that, I thought we could trust each other with anything, but she obviously felt like she couldn't trust me with something so big"

"Lucas you and I both know that is not why she left"

"Really then please explain it too me cause thats exactly how it seems to me" Lucas said with anger in his voice.

"When you love someone, you will do what ever is in your power to make that person happy, even if the thing that makes them happy makes you miserable. She loved you Lucas and she thought that Brooke made you happy" Larry paused for a moment watching the younger man.

"Don't punish her for ever Lucas, It was really hard for her to come back here and see you again"

Lucas just nodded, as a very small blond walked into the room still looking very sleepy.

"Hello pumpkin" Lucas said softly

Grace's head shot up at the sound of the voice

"DADDY" She screamed and ran over to him and he scooped her up into his arms. Planting lots of kisses all over her. As she giggled.

"Right baby, shall we get you ready then we can go have breakfast at Grandma's cafe"

"Yay, Gama" She squealed with excitement.

Larry took Grace upstairs and got her dressed while Lucas waited in the kitchen.

Peyton woke to the sound of her daughter giggling, which made her smile.

She got out of bed and went downstairs, still in just the tiny T-shirt she had been sleeping in. She walked into the kitchen to find the one person she really didn't want to see yet. She tried to act normal and just walked past him to get some coffee.

Lucas couldn't help himself he was staring at her, he couldn't believe how beautiful she was, she had only just got out of bed but god did she look amazing.

Peyton turned around and noticed that he was staring and thats when she suddenly remembered what she was wearing, she started to feel very uncomfortable shifting her weight from one leg to the other.

Lucas finally got control over his head and stood quickly, going red in the face with embarrassment.

"Sorry " He mumbled "Um... Brooke asked me to give you this" He said handing her the envelope.

"I will wait outside for Grace"

Lucas left before Peyton had chance to say anything. She turned her attention to the envelope e had given her, and started to open it.

_P_

_I'm am so sorry for everything I have done,_

_I thought I was helping you, I could see you weren't happy in LA and I knew that you still loved Lucas I thought I was helping you two get together._

_I'm sorry._

_When you are reading this I am already on my way back to LA._

_Don't worry I wont bother you ever again, I just needed to say I am so sorry._

_I heard everything you said last night Peyton and your right all this is my fault, I should have never interfered with your life._

_I don't blame you for hating me, I have screwed things up for you and Lucas again just like I did in high school, I knew you liked him and yet I still went after him, I'm sorry._

_I was the worst best friend then and I still am now, I am such a bitch and I am going to change that I promise._

_I hope everything in your life works itself out the way you want it too, I just want you to be happy._

_You will always be my best friend and my sister I love you and I always will._

_I am so sorry for everything Peyton._

_Love Brooke xx_

Peyton finished reading the letter with tears rolling down her cheeks. She reached over and grabbed the phone.

"Hey this is Brooke's Phone leave a message"

"Brooke, I am so sorry I didn't mean anything I said last night I was just angry. I'm sorry. Please call me when you get this message. I love you" She hung up and went back upstairs to get dressed.

Lucas and Grace had been at Nathan and Haley's for a couple of hours. Grace was having great fun playing with little Jamie in the back yard while the adults sat on the patio talking.

"So Luke whats going on with you and Peyton, I got a call late last night from Brooke telling me to look after you two" Haley said trying to sound casual but failing.

"Nothing Hales, absolutely nothing" Lucas replied in a very matter of fact way.

"Come on man, there is always something going on with you two, it's like your souls are connected or something"

Haley laughed at her husband. Nathan just looked at her knowing what she was thinking.

"Seriously guys there is nothing going on and there never will be... we have a daughter together and that is it" The look in his eyes told them he was deadly serious and that worried both of them.

Just as Haley was about to reply the phone started ringing, so she got up and went in side to answer it.

"Ok Luke I know things are a little weird at the minute with you two but seriously.. never?"

"Yes Nate never, I cant forgive her..." he stopped talking when he saw Haley come back outside looking as white as a ghost.

"Hales whats wrong?" Nathan asked as he jumped up to comfort his wife.

"Um... that was the police in LA"

"Oh my god whats happened" Lucas was now stood in front of Haley with a worried look on his face.

"It's Brooke, she's... she's gone, um i mean she's ...dead" As she said that word she collapsed in a heap on the floor, as it sunk in one of her oldest and best friends was dead.

Nathan sat on the floor with his wife just holding her in his arms as she tried to explained what the police had said.

"I need to go tell Peyton" Haley started to get up and walk away, but Lucas caught her hand and pulled her back.

"Haley, please let me go tell her, you stay here with Nate and the kids"

Haley nodded and hugged Lucas before he left.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N- Here's another chapter for you guys, please read and review. xx**

**Chapter 17**

Lucas ran as fast as he could to Peyton's house knowing that what he was about to tell her would make her world crumble. He had this sudden urge to be with her and to help her.

When he reached her door he paused trying to think of the best way to tell her what had happened, but the was no best way, he just had to tell her.

He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer, but nobody did so he got out his phone and punched in the number.

"Hello"

"Peyton, where are you?"

"Luke whats wrong?" She asked hearing the panic in his voice.

"Peyton just tell me where you are, I need to talk to you"

"I'm at the river court but..." She was about to tell him that she didn't want to see him, but he had already hung up.

Lucas started running again, determined to get there before she left as he knew thats what she was going to do.

He reached the river court just as she was walking towards her car, he ran over to her and grabbed her arm.

"Peyton, I really need to talk to you"

"Is it about Grace"

"No Peyton its about..."

"NO LUCAS, I DONT WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ANYTHING BUT GRACE" She shouted at him, letting some of her anger come out. She turned her back on her and continued to her car.

"Peyton its Brooke" He said it almost as a whisper, but it made her stop in her tracks.

"What about Brooke?" Thinking that she had told him what had happened between them.

"There has been an accident Peyton, Brooke is dead" He said it fast to make sure he could get it out without breaking down.

As he said those words Peyton's life came crashing down around her and she tried to walk forward towards her car but her legs just gave way and she fell down.

Lucas ran over to the blond girl sitting on the floor and sat with her not really knowing what to say or do, he just sat with her for a while. Peyton broke the silence.

"What happened Luke?"

"The police in LA called Haley about an hour ago, they said she had been driving home from the airport, she was checking her voicemail and she ran a red light a truck hit the drivers side of her car" He stopped talking seeing her start to break down.

He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her, they sat there crying together i complete silence.

After what seemed like ages Peyton wiped away her tears and got up and started to get into her car.

"Peyt where you going?" He asked her not wanting her to go.

"I have got to go" She got in her car and drove off leaving the heartbroken man alone.

Lucas walked back into Haley and Nathans house about an hour later to find both kids asleep on the couch and his brother and best friend in the kitchen. Haley still had tears falling from her eyes.

When she saw Lucas walk in the room she jumped up and ran to him and hugged him really tight.

"Where's Peyton, is she ok?"

"I don't know Hales she took off, but I think she is going to take it really bad and there is nothing I can do to help her she doesn't want to be anywhere near me, I'm really worried about her"

"I'm going to go look for her she shouldn't be on her own" Nathan got up and kissed his wife before he left.

"Hales are you ok?"

"She came to see me Luke a few days ago she stayed here the night, we just talked all night, we really sorted all our crap out it was a great night i didn't realise how much I missed her since she left. In the morning we promised to stay in touch this time, but I am never going to hear her call me tutor wife or tutor mom again" Haley broke down again collapsing into her best friends arms.

Nathan had been all over town but he couldn't find her, he decided to try her house one last time before he headed home.

He didn't bother knocking on the door he knew if she was there she wouldn't answer the door so he just walked in and went straight up to her bedroom, and that is exactly where she was, curled up in a ball on her bed sobbing.

He walked over and sat on the bed next to her.

"Peyton"

"Go away Nathan"

"No Peyton I am not going to leave you alone, we should all be together and figure this all out together"

"Nathan there is nothing to figure out, she is dead, Brooke is dead" Peyton started crying again.

"Peyton are you ok?"

"It's all my fault Nathan, it's all my fault"

"Peyton none of this is your fault, it was just an accident"

"There wouldn't have been a damn accident if it wasn't for me. She came back here for ME she came to help ME then I go and yell at her so she leaves again, and then she gets in a car accident because she is checking her voicemail and I had left her a message on the fucking voicemail, so YES Nathan it is all my fault" Her voice was full of pain and anger but also a lot of sadness.

Nathan didn't know what to say he just pulled her into him and held onto her while she cried herself to sleep. He laid there with her to make sure she was asleep before he slowly got up from the bed and made his way downstairs to make a call, he knew Larry Sawyer was away for a while so he didn't want to leave her on her own.

"Hey Luke, You ok?"

"I guess so, you?"

"Yeah I'm ok"

"Did you find her Nate?"

"Yeah I did she is sleeping at the moment, but she is pretty messed up Luke I think I am going to stay here with her, I really don't want her to be on her own"

"I will be there in 10 minutes..."

"No Luke you stay with Grace, Haley and Jamie, I will look after her I promise"

"Ok Nate" Lucas said that a little hesitantly, he felt like he really needed to be next to her but he knew thats not what she wanted.

"Put Haley on the phone"

Nathan could hear Lucas saying something to Haley before he heard her voice.

"Hey you"

"You ok Hales?"

"I think so, I don't think it has sunk in yet"

"I think I am going to stay with Peyton tonight, she is in a bad way Hales I don't want her to be on her own, Is that ok"

"Of course it is Nathan, just make sure you look after that blond and I will look after this blond. I will talk to you tomorrow, I love you"

"Love you too Hales"

They hung up the phone and Nathan made his way back upstairs to Peyton's bedroom to make sure she was ok.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N- Here's another chapter for you guys please let me know what you think ;-) xx**

**Chapter 18**

Peyton woke the following morning to find the younger of the Scott brothers watching her.

"Nathan have you been here all night?" She asked without sitting up.

The sound of her voice startled him.

"I told you I wouldn't leave you alone Peyton"

"It's ok Nate, I'm fine"

"Peyton did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"Oh my god what load of crap did I say this time?"

"You said a lot of stuff Peyton, I know you are not fine and don't try telling me you are I know you almost as well as my brother knows you. Peyton your best friend has just died it's ok to be upset, don't put a brave face on for me"

"One of the things you said while you were sleeping was that you hate Brooke. Whats going on Peyton because I know you don't hate her."

She looked at him and instantly knew there was no point lying about it.

"That was the last thing I said to her, I told her I hated her" She was so ashamed that she had said that to the one person that had been there for her for most of her life.

"Peyton I am sure she knew you didn't mean it she knows you love her"

"Then why did she leave?"

"Maybe she had to get back for work, I don't know, nobody will ever know why she decided to leave but Peyton I know she knew you love her and she loved you, I promise you" He was now sat next to her on the bed with his hand on hers.

She didn't want to argue with him so she just put her head on his shoulder and tried not to think about it.

"Hey Hales, how you feeling this morning?" Lucas asked as his best friend walked into the kitchen.

Haley just nodded and gave him a weak smile, not really knowing how she felt.

"Grace and Jamie have been up a couple of hours so they have had breakfast and they are now watching cartoons"

"Thanks Lu..." Haley jumped up and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

Lucas followed her, wondering what was wrong.

"Haley whats up are you ok?" The concern was evident in his voice.

"Yeah I'm ok, just feeling a little under the weather, I think its just the shock of yesterday" She said as she emerged from the bathroom looking very pale.

"You sure Hales, you know you can tell me anything"

"I know Luke I'm fine don't worry about it, but thank you" She said as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Has Nathan called?"

"Yes he said he is going to try and get Peyton to come here so we can deal with this all together"

Haley nodded knowing that her husband would have his work cut out for him.

A few minutes later in walks Nathan with Peyton following behind him. Nathan notices straight away that Haley looks really pale and decides to take his wife into the other room to talk alone with her.

"Are you ok Peyton?" Lucas said softly.

"I'm fine Luke, I just came here to pick up Grace, we have a plane to catch in a couple of hours"

"What your still going to leave after what happened yesterday?" His voice was full of shock and a little anger.

"We have to get on with our lives Lucas, I have a job back in LA, I have got to get back there I have already been away too long, There is nothing here for me anymore my life is in LA"

"What about Grace and me?"

"Lucas we have already talked about this you can come see her and I will bring her here whenever I have the time" Her voice was so cold. Lucas knew she was building even more walls to try and keep out the pain.

"Peyton please don't do this now, we all need time to grieve, please just wait till after the funeral"

"No Lucas me and Grace are getting on that plane today" With that said she turned around and went to find Grace.

Lucas was so angry he threw the coffee mug he was holding across the room.

Nathan heard the crashing sound coming from the kitchen and went running to see what happened.

"Dude what happened"

"Sorry Nate" Lucas said as he was cleaning the mess up.

"What happened Luke?"

"She is still going, she is still taking Grace back to LA today, after what happened yesterday I thought she would stay a while longer at least till after the funeral but she is still going. God she makes me so angry.

"Luke if you want her to stay then you need to tell her how you feel, come on man we can all see that you love her, you always have and I think you always will, but she doesn't know so you need to tell her"

"Your right I do love her but I cant tell her, she broke my heart 3 years ago when she left then she broke it again a couple of weeks ago with the huge bombshell she dropped on me, I cant go through that again it's too hard"

"God you're as stubborn as she is, Brooke has just died Lucas, at the age of 21 surely that proves life is too damn short, if you want her then tell her, you never know what is going to happen tomorrow" Nathan spoke with an air of sadness in his voice.

Lucas just stared at his brother digesting everything he had just said, he knew Nathan was right but he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it.

From the other side of the kitchen door he could hear Peyton talking to their daughter.

"Grace go say bye to daddy, sweetie we've got to go"

Grace came running through the the door and jumped into Lucas's arms.

"Mommy says we got to go back to LA, but I don't want to go daddy I wanna stay here with you and uncle Nathan and aunt Haley and Jamie"

"I know you do Gracie but you need to go with your mommy, I need you to look after her for me and make sure she is ok, can you do that for me?"

"Course daddy" The little girl said with a sense of pride knowing she was doing something her daddy wanted her to do.

"Thank you baby, now I need you to be a big brave girl for me and go back to LA with mommy and I promise I will come see you as soon as I can"

"Ok daddy"

Lucas gave his daughter a kiss and cuddled her till she had to go.

Then he just stood and watched the two most important people in his life drive away.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N- Ok guys I really don't like this chapter but hopefully it's not too horrible to read, as it gets the story into the right place for the next chapter. Please read and review, let me know what you think xxxx**

**Chapter 19**

It had been two weeks since Peyton and Grace had left Tree Hill and gone back to LA, and Lucas was home alone as he had been almost all the time except the few times Nathan and Haley had dragged him out.

Brooke's funeral had been held the week before and everyone they went to school with turned up for it, even people they didn't know knew Brooke but there was three people missing firstly Brooke's mother and father didn't show up they paid for the whole thing but didn't bother to show up to their only daughter's funeral, and then there was the one person in the whole world that Brooke would have wanted there, her best friend. Haley and Nathan had both tried to get her to come back just for the funeral, but nothing they said seemed to have an effect on her, it was like she had shut down and she was running on auto pilot.

Lucas rolled over on his bed to grab his cell phone which was ringing for what seemed like the hundredth time that afternoon. He knew it would be Haley again and he knew he should answer it this time as he had been ignoring it all day. He finally gave in and flipped the phone open.

"Hi Hales"

"LUCAS EUGENE SCOTT, WHY THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DODGING MY CALLS?" She yelled down the phone making Lucas hold the phone away from his ear.

"Sorry Hales I just wanted to be on my own" He apologised quietly.

Hearing the sorrow in his voice she decided to go easy on him.

"Luke I know it's hard but you have got to learn to deal with this and sort yourself out. Have you arranged to go see Grace yet?"

"I have tried but Peyton won't take my calls and she isn't returning my messages, I haven't spoken to Grace in 4 days it is killing me" He sighed at the thought.

"Oh Luke I'm sorry, you want me to call her and talk to her?"

"No Hales I just think it will make things worse, Thanks anyway"

"What are you going to do Luke, you can't just sit around in your bedroom for the rest of your life you have got to do something"

"I don't know what to do, I don't want to ambush her and make things worse, I suppose I will just keep calling her till she gives in" He sounded a little bit more like the old Lucas, with a hint of determination in his voice.

"Sounds like a plan" Haley chuckled trying to lighten the mood slightly.

Lucas couldn't help laugh at his goofy friend, they continued talking for a while and Lucas promised he would go over for dinner.

Once Haley got off the phone to her best friend she started to dial the number of another blond.

"Hello"

"PEYTON ELIZABETH SAWYER WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING" she yelled down the phone for a second time that afternoon.

"What have I done now?" Peyton answered really not knowing what she had done.

"Peyton, you can't push him away this time he has a right to be in Grace's life you have to talk to him sometime" She said softly knowing she really shouldn't have yelled.

"I know Haley, I just don't want to talk to him, he cant just leave things alone he keeps asking all these questions that I don't know the answers to"

"I totally get that but still he needs to see Grace he really isn't coping since you left, do you want me to pass on a message to him" she asked hoping she would say yes, but not believing she would.

"Um no Haley it's ok I will call him I promise" Peyton spoke quietly realizing that her friend was right.

Haley sighed knowing there was nothing else she could do to help.

"Ok Peyton, please don't tell Lucas I called you cos I promised I wouldn't interfere. He would kill me"

"Sure don't worry about it, talk to you soon bye Haley" Peyton hung up before Haley could respond.

Once she had hung up from talking to Haley, Peyton pressed speed dial 3 on her phone but instantly shut the phone off before it rang. Instead she turned around and walked over the desk and opened her laptop and started writing an email, she didn't write much but it got straight to the point.

Meanwhile back in Tree Hill Lucas was sat at his computer trying to write some more for his next book, but it wasn't flowing very well, he couldn't seem to get Peyton and Grace off his mind, after sitting there for an hour he had decided to stop trying and as he was about to close his laptop and email popped up. Seeing who the email was from he instantly stopped what he was doing and opened the email.

_Luke,_

_I know we haven't talked in a few days but I have been real busy._

_If you want to you can come out to LA to see Grace, _

_I have bought you a plane ticket to say sorry for not answering your calls, come whenever you like, I know Grace would love to see you._

_Peyton x_

After reading the email, that was a little abrupt but he would take whatever he could get, he jumped up and started packing, hoping to catch the next flight out.

Half way through packing his phone started playing the tune he knew meant he had a text message from Haley. He grabbed the phone and read the message.

'Luke dinner 7pm be there or I will kick your ass'

"Damn" He muttered to himself, he knew Haley meant what she said, he didn't want to upset his best friend anymore he had been blowing her off for days.

So he went over to his laptop and sent a reply email to Peyton telling her he would be there tomorrow. He grabbed his stuff and left.

Lucas walked into his brothers kitchen with an huge smile on his face.

"Dude, whats up with you?" Nathan asked while laughing, it was good to see his big brother with a smile on his face.

"Nothing much, I just heard from Peyton and she said I can go see Grace"

"Wow man thats great when you going?" He said as he went over and hugged him.

"First thing in the morning" Lucas replied.

Haley walked in to find her husband and best friend hugging.

"Hey whats going on?" She said as she ran over to them and hugged them both feeling a little left out.

"Lucas is going to LA in the morning to see Grace" Nathan said to his wife knowing that it is thanks to her.

"Wow Luke thats fantastic" Haley screamed and hugged him again.

"How long are you planning to stay out there?"

"I don't know Hales I thought I would just see how things play out once I'm there"

They kept talking all through dinner mostly about what Lucas was going to do when he got to LA, once they had finished dinner Lucas helped clean up then he said his goodbyes and promised to call once he got to LA, then he left to finish packing.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N- Hey guys sorry for the long wait this chapter seemed to have gotten the better of me, I have re-written it so many times I never thought I would have anything to post this chapter is a short one but there will be more to come I promise. I would just like to say a big thank you to Diane (pipersmum) for all her encouragement :-). Please read and reveiw. xxxx**

**Chapter 20**

Lucas got off the plane with so many different emotions going through his head, he was happy, excited but very scared. He hoped that Peyton would be at the airport waiting for him, although he knew she probably wouldn't be but he still hoped she was.

He walked through the airport searching the crowd, she wasn't there.

He was just about to leave to get in a cab when he saw a man holding a sign with his name on.

"Hi, I'm Lucas Scott"

"Good morning Mr Scott, Miss Sawyer has got a car for you, please follow me"

Lucas followed the older man to the car. The journey was long and silent.

They pulled up outside an apartment building and Lucas just sat there looking at the tall building that his daughter was living in and his stomach turned, it was so run down it shocked him to know Peyton had been living here, she deserved better than this.

He got out of the car and entered the building making his way towards the stairs when he saw the elevators were out of order. He walked up to the fourth floor and found the apartment his daughter was living in and knocked at the door.

Inside the apartment Grace heard the knock at the door and ran over to her mother.

"Daddy is here, Daddy is here" She was so excited she was jumping up and down.

"Ok sweetie, calm down" Peyton said as she made her way over to the front door.

Peyton opened the door with slight apprehension, feeling ashamed about the place she was living and the fact that the love of her life now knew how shitty her life was.

"DADDY" Grace shouted running into Lucas' arms.

"Hi baby, I missed you so much" Lucas was trying to hold back the tears that were starting to form. He held on to his daughter so tight, feeling like if he let go she would be gone again.

Peyton watched the interaction between father and daughter and she knew she was doing the right thing for everyone.

Lucas made his way into the apartment still holding Grace, when he noticed that Peyton was no longer stood in the door way. As he walked in to the living room he noticed a lot of things were packed into boxes and there was also some suitcases packed. He sighed a sigh of relief thinking that Peyton was moving and getting out of this horrible place.

"Grace why don't you go and play in your room for a while I want to talk to your daddy"

Grace kissed Lucas on the cheek then jumped down from her fathers arms and ran off into her bedroom.

Lucas stood in front of Peyton feeling very nervous and he was unsure why.

"Peyton is everything ok?"

"Lucas I didn't ask you to come out here just to visit" She finally replied.

Lucas' heart jumped up into his throat not sure what she was going to say.

After a long pause Peyton looked up at Lucas and continued.

"I want you to take Grace back to Tree Hill"

Lucas was shocked at what she said, never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would hear her say she wanted him to take Grace.

"What? Why?"

"I just think she will be better off with you and your mom, and Nathan and Haley, she deserves to have a big family around her"

"Are you going to come back once you have sorted everything out here?"

Peyton looked at him then looked down at the floor she couldn't bear to look at him when she answered his question.

"No, I am going to stay here" Her answer was so quiet Lucas only just heard her.

"Peyton she needs you too, you are her mother, you know how hard it was to grow up without a mother do you really want to do that to our daughter?"

Still looking at the floor Peyton was trying to stop the tears that were forming from falling.

"She will be better off with you Lucas I cant give her the life she needs or deserves but you can, I am doing this for her"

He looked at her with pure disbelief, noticing the tears she had been trying so hard to fight were now falling freely. Not thinking about it he wrapped his arms around her and held her while she sobbed.

They stood together with his arms around her for a few minutes, then Peyton suddenly pushed him away and ran to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

Lucas stood staring at the bathroom door not quite sure weather she was crying because of him or because of the decision she had made. All his instincts were telling him to go to her and make sure she was ok but instead he walked past the bathroom and walked down the hall trying to find his daughter.

Peyton sat on the floor leaning her back on the bath, sobbing silently with some many different thoughts going through her mind, she wasn't sure what was happening with her but she knew she couldn't put her daughter through it anymore. Feeling more determined than ever she got up and straightened herself out before heading out the bathroom to talk to Lucas and get him to understand her.


End file.
